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The latest Staff Inquiry is about our favorite opening credits, and how they manage to set the style and tone for the film that follows.
We’ve put together a list of the best documentaries of 2016 – a tough task as the quality of documentaries was high throughout the year!
![Two decades ago... Even uttering that phrase is bound to make a person feel ancient. It’s hard to believe how quickly time passes, but luckily, movies allow us to relive moments of yester year. 1997 had a plethora of pop culture highlights and gave us some poignant films, from blockbusters to cult classics. Brace yourself, because you are about to feel really old when you see some of the films that will be celebrating their 20-year anniversary this year. The Highlights Good Will Hunting [caption id="attachment_43271" align="aligncenter" width="600"] source: Miramax Films[/caption] The boys from Boston, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, released their Oscar-winning film and catapulted their careers back in 1997. Robin Williams, who plays Damon’s therapist, would also garner his first and only Oscar for his performance. While Affleck was a minor character in the film, his experience of writing and producing on this project would eventually help him to become a successful director and producer, with films like Gone Baby Gone and Argo, bringing him back to success later in his career. Good Will Hunting continues to be an inspiration to writers, aspiring actors, and overall creatives to create your own way in this business. Boogie Nights [caption id="attachment_41830" align="aligncenter" width="600"] source: New Line Cinema[/caption] Ah, yes, the prosthetic. While that was, and continues to be a large topic of this film (no pun intended), Boogie Nights has so much more to offer. First off, look at the cast: Mark Wahlberg, Burt Reynolds, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Don Cheadle, William H. Macy, John C. Reilly, and the list goes on. The cast alone is like watching a master acting class. The film was critically acclaimed for showing the everyday life, and sometimes mundaneness, of the porn industry. Wahlberg’s star status rose due to his performance as Dirk Diggler, and the film further lamented Burt Reynolds as a suave icon. And, Roller Girl, Boogie Nights gave us Roller Girl. L.A. Confidential [caption id="attachment_43609" align="aligncenter" width="600"] L.A. Confidential (1997) - source: Warner Bros.[/caption] Another amazing ensemble cast was given to us in 1997 with the release of L.A. Confidential. Kim Basinger, Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce, to name a few, round out this film noir cast. This dark, crime-filled film was commercially and critically successful, and brought Kim Basinger her first Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Part of the allure of this film was the break from conventional protagonist and antagonist characters. The three main police officers, played by Spacey, Crowe, and Pearce, all appear to be on the same side, fighting for the same cause. But much of what they are fighting is the corruption in their inner circle. L.A. Confidential gave a voice to the gossip culture before it turned into actual show business, in a pre-tabloid world. Romy and Michele's High School Reunion [caption id="attachment_43273" align="aligncenter" width="600"] source: Touchstone Pictures[/caption] There are just certain movies that are able to pull off epic endings, and Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion is one of them – leaving their high school reunion by helicopter while Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven On Earth” blares. What proceeds this awesome spectacle is the life of Romy and Michele, best friends living in Los Angeles, who are trying to navigate adult life. When they receive an invitation for their high school reunion, they go down a journey of attempting to present their lives as far more successful than they really are. Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino headlined the film, but there were also memorable appearances from Alan Cumming, Janeane Garofalo and Camryn Manheim. It might have been released twenty years ago, but Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion has become a timeless cult classic. Gattaca [caption id="attachment_43608" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Gattaca (1997) - source: Columbia Pictures[/caption] In 1997 the plot of Gattaca may have seemed far out and futuristic, but in hindsight, the film is almost prophetic. DNA, genetics, and reproductive technologies are at the heart of the story as the main characters, played by Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, battle to find out who they are destined to be. While Hawke and Thurman headline this film, it’s Jude Law’s performance of Jerome, a paralyzed swim star, that stole the show. Law would go on to play many powerful supporting roles before breaking out as a leading man in the early 2000s. While Gattaca was not a commercial success, it did start a dialogue on reproductive technology and how far scientific methods would push the envelope. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery [caption id="attachment_43610" align="aligncenter" width="600"] source: New Line Cinema[/caption] Think about it – we’ve been saying “Yeah, baby, yeah” for twenty years already! Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery follows British spy, Austin Powers, through plenty of Bond-like comedic scenarios. He thwarts assassination attempts, navigates through sexy fembots, and confronts his ultimate nemesis, Dr. Evil. Writer and lead actor, Mike Myers, was well established from his days on SNL and films like Wayne’s World when he released this British-infused comedy in 1997. The film would leave a lasting impression on late 90’s pop culture with phrases like “Groovy, baby” and “Ooo, behave!”, while also producing a menacing pinky to the lip gesture, thanks to Dr. Evil. The Fifth Element [caption id="attachment_43611" align="aligncenter" width="600"] source: Columbia Pictures[/caption] A classic tale of good versus evil, well sort of. The Fifth Element is an over-the-top sci-fi adventure starring Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich and Gary Oldman. At times the film can feel a bit too grandiose and goofy, but it solidified Bruce Willis as an action star and Gary Oldman as a valued character actor. The film also brought up a debate in regards to gender identity and roles, thanks to Chris Tucker’s performance as Ruby Rhod. While the central themes of it have been debated, there’s no argument that The Fifth Element has received a cult classic label. Look at any comic con and you are bound to find a bunch of Leeloo’s walking the premises. Titanic [caption id="attachment_43274" align="aligncenter" width="600"] source: Paramount Pictures[/caption] And we’ve reached the mother-load of films, Titanic. It’s been twenty years and people are still debating whether Jack could have fit on the floating door. Director James Cameron ventured out and succeeded in producing one of the largest film productions and commercial blockbusters of all time. The film was crafted and constructed brilliantly with ornate sets, digital constructs, and overall storyline. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet have gone on to make many other films, but we’ll always see them as Jack and Rose. And we’ll never let go, Jack. Titanic was heralded as a movie-going experience, which is quite powerful for a story that we already knew the ending to. Conclusion The list doesn’t even cover half of the amazing films that were released twenty years ago. It might seem obvious, but how have the films from 1997 changed the landscape of cinema? As 2017 starts to unfold we will get a whole new slew of great films to choose from. But, let’s not forget the gems we received already, two decades ago. What are some of your favorite films from 1997?](https://www.filminquiry.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/titanic-movie.jpg)
1997 saw there release of many cult classics and blockbusters that we still talk about today; here is a discussion of some of the biggest.
With only a week and a half left for Christmas, we have some Christmas film recommendations for you – and not the usual ones.
Most films follow a straightforward style of editing, yet here are 10 that chose to break the mold, and were successful in doing so.
The films that are so bad they’re good are the epitome in ironic movie-watching: intentionally watching terrible films in order to laugh at their technical failures, providing more humour than most comedies nowadays.
For her talent and contribution to film alone, Crawford deserves a better legacy than what she ultimately received. By all accounts, she achieved her success through hard work, determination, and innate intelligence.
Over at our official Facebook page, we are currently posting daily film recommendations with each week being a different theme. This is a collection of those recommendations! This week’s theme is action films directed by women.
Over at our official Facebook page, we are currently posting daily film recommendations with each week being a different theme. This week’s theme is the films of American director Don Siegel. Beginning his cinematic career making montage sequences for Warner Bros (most notably the opening of Casablanca), Don Siegel is quite an influential American auteur, redefining the sci-fi and crime thriller genres throughout his lengthy career.
Man, did September fly by, or what? We had such an excellent time featuring one short film every day of September during our #ShortFilmADay challenge. You can find the complete list and some additional information about the shorts we featured in our #ShortFilmADay Recap.
Over at our official Facebook page, we are currently posting daily film recommendations with each week being a different theme.This week’s theme is the films of British cult director Alex Cox, and this article is a collection of those recommendations! The definition of the “cult movie” director, Alex Cox has had an incredibly interesting career, flirting with both studio and independent filmmaking – imprinting his own unique anarchic vision with each film he makes.
When the BBC polled an international array of critics, producers and filmmakers for their greatest films of the 21st century, there was naturally an outpouring of frustration on social media. The list was naturally derided for being elitist, not featuring any comedies and for featuring few works by female directors; textbook stuff when it comes to polls of greatest films. When the list was announced earlier this summer, the Film Inquiry team initially agreed on doing our own gigantic top 100 to rival the BBC’s official findings.
Over at our official Facebook page, we are currently posting daily film recommendations, with each week being a different theme. This is a collection of those recommendations! This week’s theme is bank heist films.
“Interest can produce learning on a scale compared to fear as a nuclear explosion to a firecracker.” Stanley Kubrick on the importance and power of curiosity. As educators and parents we want to to care for, nurture, mentor, socialize, and provide for our children to the best of our ability.
Over at our official Facebook page, we are currently posting daily film recommendations, with each week being a different theme. This is a collection of those recommendations! This week’s theme is films shot by a female cinematographer.